Guns of the Old West

Colonel Jeff Cooper (1920 - 2006) may have known more about guns than any other person in the history of the world.  A Marine Lt. Colonel and veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Colonel Cooper had a Master’s Degree in History and a love for the United States of America.  The founder of the American Pistol Institute, Colonel Cooper trained thousands of individuals in gun use and safety.

Guns of the Old West, originally published in the 1950's, recounts the history of the firearms used on the American frontier in the 19th century.  The story of the pistol really takes off with Samuel Colt’s production of the first practical revolver in 1836.  Colonel Cooper takes us through the entire development of the Colt revolver: the Patterson, the Walker, the Dragoon, the 1851 Navy (favorite handgun of the Confederate army), the 1860 Army, and finally the 1873 Army which will forever be known as the “Peacemaker.”  All of these weapons were “cap and ball” pistols until the development of the 1873 Army which shot a .45 caliber self contained cartridge.  Just as Sam Colt revolutionized the pistol, Mr. Winchester revolutionized the rifle.  The “Winchester 1873" was to the rifle what the Colt Peacemaker was to the handgun.

This is a short but very informative little book (64 pages), but well worth anyone’s time.

  Colonel Jeff Cooper (1920 - 2006)